5-Year-Old Summoned to Jury Duty (THREE times in 2 years..you guessed it..WASHINGTON STATE!)

WPVI / ABC / KOMO TV ^ | March 9, 2005

[Stoat]

5-Year-Old Summoned to Jury Duty

March 9, 2005 — Nathaniel Skiles is a good citizen, but the five-year-old Kirkland, Washington, boy isn't ready for jury duty.

Still, he's been summoned three times in two years.

His mother says she has sent back the notices, noting her son's age. She says she may have to take him to the courthouse so officials can see for themselves.

The problem apparently originated when the family applied for a state identification card and his birthdate was listed incorrectly.

MORE:

komo news Do You Really Want A 5-Year-Old On A Jury

Do You Really Want A 5-Year-Old On A Jury?

March 9, 2005
 
By Liz Rocca
 

 
 

 
 

KIRKLAND - Nathaniel Skiles is a typical 5-year-old. He's bursting with energy and more fixated on his toys than on his civic duty.

"I don't even know how to read," he said.

Then why is he being called for jury duty? Not once, but three times.

"The first one came when he was three, which was two years ago, sometime in the spring," explained his mom, Tammy Skiles. "Then the next one was June of last year and then this one is April. So, once a year, since he was three, we've gotten a jury summons for him."

When Tammy called the court, to ask how this could happen, she didn't get much satisfaction.

"She (the clerk) thought maybe they got his name from voter registration rolls, and I said well I know he's not registered to vote!"

King County Court Administrators say it all boils down to a computer glitch. When Nathaniel's mom got him a state I.D. card, it seems someone at the Department of Licensing may have accidentally entered his birth year as 1900, instead of 2000.

"And I'm thinking man, if you're getting called every year when you're 103, 104, 105 they're pretty desperate to get you to serve on their jury!" said Tammy.

The courts say the problem is fixed and Nathaniel is dismissed from jury duty.

That's okay with him because he told KOMO 4 News "Actually, it would be boring. And, I don't know what an attorney is."

Tammy plans to go straight to the Department of Licensing and correct her son's information before this happens again.

[Stoat]

Yes, I know that this could happen anywhere. But why must it ALWAYS happen in Washington?

((((embarrassed))))) @ being a Washingtonian "sigh"

[Wristpin]

Did he vote in the last election too?

[Stoat]

I wouldn't be at all surprised :-)

[Gunrunner2]

And he probably didn't even know his vote was cast for the democRATS

[irishtenor]

I have been LEGALLY registered to vote since 1972. I have NEVER been called for duty.